


The Sun is the Brightest Star

by ArvinArvox



Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Grief/Mourning, Implied Relationships, M/M, get the tissues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-10
Updated: 2020-09-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:54:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26382955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArvinArvox/pseuds/ArvinArvox
Summary: “I have to tell Eiji.” Ibe whispered into the phone. He didn’t get any response; he only heard Max put down the phone and cry. Ibe hung up, wiping his eyes with the neck of his shirt. Out of everyone, Eiji was going to hurt the most. Ibe knew that. They had a bond that he had never seen before. Were they friends? Or even more? Unfortunately, it didn’t matter anymore. You can’t have a friendship with someones whos-With someones whos-He couldn't finish it. He couldn't even think of finishing it.
Relationships: Ash Lynx/Okumura Eiji, Ibe Shunichi & Okumura Eiji
Comments: 15
Kudos: 143





	The Sun is the Brightest Star

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first one-shot I've ever made. I've been looking for a fanfic like this, but unfortunately I have not been able to find one so I decided to write my own. Thank you so much to @ari.bari.sketches on Instagram for proof reading and being my beta! I really hope you guys enjoy! P.S You might need tissues for this one.

The warm colors that decorated the sky slowly faded into a cold blue. Ibe watched the stars unveil themselves as the plane was smothered in silence. Eiji sat across from Ibe, his eyes shut, almost in complete peace. But he knew, deep in his stomach, Eiji didn’t want to leave America. He knew Eiji didn’t want to leave Ash. Ibe recognized the sad look in his eyes when Ash hadn’t arrived in the airport to join them. He had even left a seat open between him and the boy just in case he decided to pull a movie stunt and appear as soon as the plane took off. It had been a total of twelve hours since they had left from the airport, and by the time they arrived in Japan, it would be around nine in the evening. Ibe looked once more at Eiji, a sad smile drifting across his face. And as soon as he closed his eyes, his consciousness fell away and he slept for the remainder of the flight. 

As if only a moment passed, Ibe shot up. He noticed the lights on the airplane glowing and people walking down the aisle with bags in hand. Drowsy, he reached over to Eiji, who was still asleep, and shook the boy.

“Eiji.” Ibe croaked, rubbing his eyes and standing. Eiji awakened, looking around at his surroundings. He was surprised that Eiji was asleep the entire flight. Ibe laughed and grabbed the bag from above the two. “Do you need a wheelchair for when we leave?”

“No, I’m fine. Thank you.” Eiji smiled calmly, standing up. He winced, pain coating his brows, but he pushed it off almost as quickly as it appeared. The sky was still dark, and it was reaching around 9:30 by the time they got off the plane. Ibe pulled the bag behind him, walking into the large building. The windows that made up the wall next to him made the plane visible, the bright lights of the runway blocking out the stars above. Eiji followed in pursuit, taking in a deep breath before his casual smile covered his face.  
Ibe slid his hand into his back pocket, holding down the power button to turn on the phone. He almost dropped it when he got a wave of texts and missed calls from Max. Ibe looked shocked for a minute, opening his phone while Eiji sat on a chair a few feet away from him.

Sent at 3:48

Ibe pick up.

Jesus please pick up your phone.

Ibe

please

Sent at 5:03

Ibe call me when you can

When are you getting to Japan?  
God damn it

Ibe

Ibe

Sent at 6:11

Ibe. I'm so sorry.

I don’t want to tell you over text

Call me

The messages continued on for the next few hours, consisting of apologies and “Ibe”s. He knew something was wrong, and his body language spoke for it. The adrenaline almost immediately kicked in and his hands shook. Ibe dialed Max, walking away from Eiji, who was now staring at him with a confused glance.

“Ibe?” He chirped, standing up from the chair as the older man walked through the airport, attempting to find better service. Thankfully Ibe didn’t hear Eiji follow his tracks. After about five rings, the phone was picked up and silence rang through the line.

“Max? What's going on?” The man asked frantically, raising his other hand to clutch the back of his neck. It stayed silent for a few more seconds.”Max?”

“He’s dead Ibe.” 

Ibe paused. “What?”

“Ash is dead.”

It was almost as if the people around him stopped moving. Ibe felt his heart stop and drop into his stomach. Suddenly he grew sick as Eiji washed over his mind.

“He was found dead in the library. Um-” Ibe heard Max breath, attempting to calm himself down. “One of Sing’s men stabbed him. Luckily, Ash shot him. At least, that's what they're thinking happened.” Ibe let the line hang once more, until a quiet sob was heard from his phone. Max was crying. And he didn't realize until he saw his vision blur, but Ibe was crying as well. 

“I have to tell Eiji.” Ibe whispered into the phone. He didn’t get any response; he only heard Max put down the phone and cry. Ibe hung up, wiping his eyes with the neck of his shirt. Out of everyone, Eiji was going to hurt the most. Ibe knew that. They had a bond that he had never seen before. Were they friends? Or even more? Unfortunately, it didn’t matter anymore. You can’t have a friendship with someones whos-

With someones whos-

He couldn't finish it. He couldn't even think of finishing it. 

Ibe turned the corner, noticing Eiji rest his head on the bag that sat on the chair next to him. Almost on cue, tears rimmed Ibe’s eyes and fled down his face. 

“Eiji” Ibe spoke softly, a few people around the two now taking notice of the man’s tears. The young man’s faint smile faded when he took notice of Ibe. He stayed sitting. Thank god. Ibe dropped to his knees, grabbing Eiji’s arms.

“Whats going on?”

“Eiji I know this is going to be hard for you to understand but-”

“Ibe what happened?”

Eiji tried to move from Ibe’s grip, but he held the boy tightly, his knuckles growing a faint white. Ibe dropped his head on Eiji’s knees for a heartbeat. He then raised his head, looking into his eyes. 

“Ash was found dead.”

He got nothing from Eiji. No response. No expression. Just a blank slate.

“Eiji did you-”

Then it happened. It was delayed. Very delayed. Eiji’s expression twisted into everything Ibe thought he would never see. He wished he could look away. He wished he hadn't found out. Eiji pushed himself out of the seat, Holding onto Ibe like he had never been held before. Ibe heard Eiji scream into his chest. He felt the young boy tremble in his arms, his fingers clutching for any loose piece of cloth on Ibe’s back. Ibe rose his hand, stroking the boy’s hair. A boy. Eiji was just a boy. Just a child in the midst of death. Ash was younger than him. They were both just children. 

Ibe drove through the streets, his face lighting up whenever he passed under a street lamp. He kept his radio off this one time, focusing on the road ahead of him. But every so often, he would peer out the corner of his eye. Ibe couldn’t see Eiji’s face. His head was leaning against the window, Ibe guessed looking into the night sky. They had been escorted out of the airport. Luckily Ibe’s car was still in the specific parking lot that he left it in. He also made the unconscious decision to bring Eiji to his house. He knew he would have to look after the boy, and he doubted Eiji would want his parents to see him in his state of mind. The stars were there. Just like they had when they arrived in America. Just like they had been when they left. The stars were always there, but it seemed like they had lost their light. 

Soon enough Ibe pulled into the familiar looking driveway, a wave of tiredness and grief crashing over him. He put the car into park and sat for a moment, the inside lights of the vehicle illuminating their bodies. Eiji shifted in his seat, turning to Ibe with a smile. He was always smiling. Why the hell was he smiling. 

“I’m going to head inside.” He spoke softly. Eiji’s voice was hoarse from screaming in the airport. Ibe didn’t move. He didn’t look away from the boy across from him. “Can I have the keys, Ibe-san?” He spoke once more.

Ibe grabbed the keys slowly from the ignition, handing them over to the boy. Eiji immediately left the car, closing the door behind him. He watched Eiji open the front door and walk into the house, leaving it slightly open for Ibe to follow behind. And he did. Ibe left the car, leaving all of their belongings in the trunk and made his way into the house. He shut the door behind him, taking off his shoes in the doorway and setting them down next to Eiji’s sneakers.

Before Ibe could speak to him, Eiji fled into the spare bedroom that he had unoccupied upstairs. The older man stood in the hallway. Silence, just like the plane, ringing in Ibe’s ears. He lifted his hand, covering his face as tears formed once more. His shirt was already damp with tears from the airport, he didn’t need any more. Ibe quietly moved his way up the stairs and into his room, passing Eiji’s as he did so. Just like the hallway, it was silent. Not even the movement of bed sheets were heard from beyond the wooden door. 

Ibe found his way to his room, taking off the jacket and shirt and slipping into a grey sweater. With his left hand, he held the shirt, gazing at it before throwing it to the floor, along with the jacket. The man slowly moved over to the light switch, pulling it down before finding his way to the bed. Ibe let his hands guide him to the blankets and pulled them up, sliding underneath for warmth and a sort of comfort, although now was not the time for him to be comforted. As if he hadn’t slept for some of the plane ride, he let himself fall asleep, his wet and red eyes letting themselves cool down. 

But Ibe shot up when he heard a loud thump from across the hall. He checked the glowing alarm clock, taking notice that it was now 4:50 in the morning. The sun hadn’t even risen yet. Ibe rubbed his eyes but jumped again when another thump was heard. He let his feet touch the floor as he walked through the dark room and into the hallway. Ibe’s eyes moved to the door closest to the stairs. He made his way closer to the room, his feet now cold against the wood. 

A soft cry was heard from the room. Faint, but painful. 

Ibe touched the door handle, giving a slight knock with his knuckle before opening the wooden barrier. Eiji sat up against the wall of the bed, his head leaning back and tears running down his face. He was holding onto the yellow blanket that Ibe usually had stored away in the closet.

Ibe didn’t say a word, he only closed the door behind him and made his way to the boy, shifting his weight onto the mattress beneath the two. Ibe let himself find the wall with his back, propping himself up to sit beside Eiji. The boy had let his head slip from the wall to Ibe’s shoulder, finding comfort in the warmth. Ibe lifted his arm, sliding it behind Eiji’s neck, and, holding onto the boy’s head, pulled him in close.

Ibe and Eiji didn’t know each other well, and they had never been that close. But these last hours that they spent together had expanded their friendship far more than Ibe ever expected. Ibe was the only one Eiji could talk to about his situation. The only one that would understand. 

“I never said goodbye.” A faint voice spoke.

Ibe looked down, his cheek gracing the younger boy’s hair. His hand brushed in slightly, offering comfort.

“I bet he knew you wanted to say it.” Ibe spoke up, looking back out into the darkness of the room.

“Maybe.” Eiji spoke again, lifting his hand to wipe his eyes. Ibe couldn’t respond. 

Moments passed until Eiji’s head fell deeper and deeper against Ibe’s shoulder. Eiji’s frantic breath slowed to a calm pace, his eyes shut and a frown draped across his face. Ibe was about to close his eyes as well, but a bright light hit his face, waking up the man. He raised his hand, blocking out the sun that peered through the window to the left of the bed. He noticed the soft yellows and oranges draping the sky like paint, but the stars still bled through.

The sun also happened to be a star. The brightest star that was visible from Earth. Ibe slid his arms from under Eiji and sat his head against the frame, standing up and looking down at the boy. Ash and Eiji loved to watch the sun rise, and he didn’t want to intrude on their own time.

Ibe let himself back up a few steps before smiling at the sunlight that now covered Eiji’s body. 

“Thank you, Ash. Sayonara.” He spoke, turning around and leaving the room.

And Ibe could almost swear, he saw a familiar face with golden locks sitting at the end of Eiji’s bed, reaching out one last time.


End file.
